Student teacher faces sex charge

A former female student teacher at Newtown High School was arrested Monday and charged with sexual assault for allegedly having a relationship with a student in the district.

Middlebury police arrested 26-year-old Jillian Gehrkens, who lives in Middlebury. She was charged with two counts of sexual assault in the second degree and risk of injury to a minor.

She was arraigned Tuesday in Waterbury Superior Court.

Police said in a news release the incident "most likely originated from a relationship that developed" in Newtown schools.

Middlebury Chief Patrick Bona did not return calls Tuesday. Police and Newtown school officials would not disclose the student's age, school or gender.

However, the risk of injury to a minor charge would seem to indicate the student was under 16 years old.

Newtown Schools Superintendent
Evan Pitkoff
said Gehrkens was a guidance counseling intern at the high school between January 2004 and January 2005, through a student-teaching program at Western Connecticut State University.

Between 2000 and 2003, Pitkoff said, Gehrkens worked part time for the district as a tutor in the district's elementary school autism program. Pitkoff said the allegation did not stem from that work. Gehrkins also was a substitute teacher for several grade levels in 2003, he said.

The district did not receive any complaints against her during those years, he said.

Pitkoff said Gehrkins last worked in the district in January, when she finished her internship.

Gehrkens could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Attorney William F Dow III, representing Gehrkens, said he would not discuss the case. "We will address these matters in court and not the newspaper," he said.